Unexpected Surprises
by MeowMomo
Summary: Before everyone at the precinct knows about Castle and Beckett's relationship, Beckett finds out something pretty big. When Castle figures it out while they're at the precinct he does something big that reveals their relationship to everyone. One of the various ways I thought everyone could find out. Close to the middle of season five. Now includes a 4-part epilogue. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

Unexpected Surprises

**Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever, own any part of Castle, or it's characters.**

* * *

Kate just had to look at all of the signs, she had already missed her period and was having morning sickness. The pregnancy test would just be there to prove her theory. Okay, only 30 more seconds. She looked down at the watch she wore, suddenly growing impatient. If her theory was correct she would have a hard time telling Castle, not being able to see him this morning before going into the precinct. Where would she tell him? She didn't even know if he wanted more kids. Also, this wouldn't just affect them, how would this affect her job, more importantly how would Alexis feel about this? Yep, this would be difficult.

Kate looked down at the watch again; the time was up. Kate walks over to her bathroom counter and looks down at the test.

* * *

Kate decided to arrive at work early this morning. Well, earlier than usual. She really didn't want to spend the rest of her morning thinking about how she would tell Castle that she was pregnant with his child. She just hoped that she didn't have to tell him in the precinct, nobody even knew about their relationship. They had already been together for over six months. Wow, half a year. Has it really been that long? Oh, never mind! She was not going to think about this right now.

About two hours later when it was a normal time to be at work and everyone was there, Castle walks into the bullpen holding two cups of coffee as always. Walking over to Beckett's desk he sets her cup on her desk then sits down in the chair next to her desk, where he usually sits. After seeing the coffee sitting on her desk, Beckett glances up and smiles at Castle. She grabs the coffee cup and lifts it to her lips, about to take a drink when she remembers something she heard or read one time; pregnant woman weren't supposed to drink caffeine.

Sighing, Beckett removes the cup from her lips and sets it back down on her desk, hoping that Castle, for once, wasn't looking at her. However those hopes were crushed when she slyly took a peek at Castle, from the corner of her eye, and saw him looking at her like she just did the most unpredictable thing in the world. It was true; she had. She wasn't drinking her coffee. She was always drinking coffee. In fact, two years ago when Natalie Rhodes was following Beckett around and had stolen her coffee, she equated it with the stealing of her soul.

_"She took my coffee, Castle!"_

_"So. It's just coffee..."_

_"What's next my soul?"_

She then hears Castle ask, "Beckett, what's wrong?"

Beckett looks up at him, "Nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?" She responds in an innocent voice, presuming it will throw him off.

"You aren't drinking your coffee."

"Oh, I'm just not thirsty."

"That's…not true. You were just about to take a drink a minute ago."

She pauses for a moment, trying to think of something, then all of a sudden exclaims, "Okay!" She smiles, trying to act jokingly, "You caught me!" Castle raises his eye-brows, "I'm giving up caffeine; for about a year." she continues in a more serious tone.

Castle, at first, just stared at her, then all of a sudden, he busted out laughing, causing Ryan and Esposito, who were across the bullpen, to stare at him for a moment. After Castle's laughter dies down, he looks at her again and says, "You can't be serious. Come on, Beckett, quit messing with me and just drink your coffee."

Beckett shakes her head, "I'm serious, Castle. I'm giving caffeine up. For a whole year." She gives Castle a very serious look, just to top it off. Castle smile fades all too fast, "Who the hell are you and what have you done with Katherine Beckett?"

"It's me Castle. Katherine Becket. The same person you have known for over four years."

"You're really giving up caffeine for a year?" He asks with concern finding its way into his voice.

Beckett nods.

At that moment, Lanie walks into the bullpen, saving Beckett from any further questions, telling everyone, "Morning." As she struts over to Beckett's desk, stopping when she sees the look on Castle's face, "Everything okay?" she asks, also with a stunted amount of concern coloring her tone.

Neither Castle nor Beckett respond, Castle just stands up and grabs Beckett's coffee, walking away when he says, "I'll just throw this away then."

After Castle leaves, Beckett turns around to Lanie and says, "Hey, Lanie. What are you doin' here?"

"No dead bodies to cut up. What was that about?" Lanie gestures toward the break room where Castle is disposing of her coffee.

"Oh, I'm giving up caffeine."

Lanie quickly glances at Beckett then away while she tries to hide the smile breaking out on her face, "Yeah, right."

"No, it's true. For a whole year, too." Beckett responds almost defensively. At this Lanie, in much the same way Castle did, bursts out with laughter, cause Esposito and Ryan, yet again, to look over at them. "What? You don't think I can do it?" She asks, appalled that even her best friend doesn't think she can do it. Even if she wasn't pregnant.

Lanie looks at Beckett and while trying to control her laughter, says, "No, no. I think you can. But you? Giving up caffeine? Honey, that's like Castle giving up writing, forever. What brought all this on?"

Beckett's widen for a moment, but she hides the action and decides not to answer, thinking Lanie will drop it. When she doesn't answer, Lanie frowns, but Beckett is already turning back around in her chair, only to meet the faces of Ryan and Esposito.

They just stare at her for a moment before Esposito asks, "What's this joke you keep telling everyone about, Beckett?"

"Yeah, and why haven't you told us, yet?" Ryan asks. Ryan and Esposito, about a month, ago went back to being on good terms with each other. Obviously, now, they were best buds again. Beckett knew that Esposito couldn't stay mad at Ryan forever.

Before Beckett can say anything, Lanie answers for her, "She's giving up caffeine. She, Kate Beckett, is giving it up, for a whole year."

Ryan and Esposito, also like Castle and Lanie, bust out laughing after hearing this. Having enough of everyone laughing at the thought of her not having caffeine for a year, Beckett starts to speak, "Okay, guys, ha-ha, I know it's funny, but it is true."

The boys stop laughing to look at her. Frowning, Ryan asks, "You okay, Beckett?"

"Yeah, this is kinda strange and all of a sudden, don't ya think?"

"Yeah. I know guys, but I am doing this." _Unless I want to have a hyperactive child,_ she silently adds in her head. Beckett looks down at her desk and then back up at the boys, who were looking at something behind her. When she turns around she sees Castle standing there staring at her like he is trying to figure something out.

"What's the matter, Castle?" she asks, a bit concerned.

"Beckett…I know there is something wrong."

_Shit. No, wait, he can't know. _she thought, "What are you talking about, Castle?"

"…You're...pregnant-"Castle sighs, "-aren't you...?"

Yeah. Shit was right.

Beckett eyes widen and she hears Lanie scoff beside her then say, "Pregnant? Please, she hasn't gotten laid in a year."

"Lanie!" Beckett yells at her friend angrily, and a bit embarrassed that she would say that in front of Ryan and Esposito. Beckett looks at Castle, again with wide eyes and replies, "How'd you know?"

"What?" Lanie asks.

Beckett raises her forefinger, "Lanie, shh. Castle, how'd you know?" she asks, also not oblivious to the fact that Ryan and Esposito, who have moved to the other side of her desk, were staring at Castle with confusion.

"The past few mornings you've been getting sick, and you declined your coffee this morning. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Wait, how does-" Lanie starts to demand but Beckett interrupts her, "Lanie, shh!"

Beckett stares at Castle, "I just found out this morning."

"Then do me a favor?"

"Yeah?" Beckett says as she stands up to move closer to Castle.(Out of the corner of her eye she can see Lanie, Ryan, and Esposito also moving closer)

As soon as Beckett came close enough to Castle, he grabs her hand and starts to kneel. Beckett's eyes grow wide, "Castle…."

"No, Kate. Marry me? Please?"

"Castle-"

"Wait! Wait! Just wait!" Lanie barks, "You - Who's is it?"

Beckett gestures to Castle, "Isn't that kind of obvious?"

"WHAT! No. You two? When? Why didn't you tell me?"

Beckett stares at her seriously, now seeing Ryan and Esposito moving yet closer again, both glaring a bit at Castle (as if to protect their little sister), but not much considering the man _is _down on one knee, "Well, I think it's pretty obvious that we wanted to keep it private." She snipes.

"Oh, okay." Lanie replies with sarcasm dripping in her voice. Beckett frowns at her.

"Um. Kate?" Castle says, trying to focus Kate back to the question he asked her. She turns back to Castle, "Oh. Castle…." She pauses for a few moments, looking into Castle eyes, gorgeous blues staring back at her, then starts to shake her head, "No…. I'm sorry…."

Castle gawks at her in shock, "What?"

"WHAT?" Lanie, Esposito, and Ryan blurt out, from beside her.

Then remembering she has and audience, and it was quickly attracting more members, Beckett faces them with shock on her face only to see them gesturing to Castle and all trying to form words, Esposito and Ryan no longer with tiny glares on their faces. Beckett helps Castle stand, "Come on, Castle." She whispers as grabs his hand and pulls him towards the break room.

Once inside she closes the door and pulls him toward the table, sits down, and gestures for him to also sit down across from her.

"Castle, don't be mad. I only said no because," She sighs, "because I don't want you to propose to me, or marry me, just because I'm pregnant with your kid. I do want to marry you, someday. But I don't want that day…I don't want to walk down the aisle, on what should be the happiest day of my life, with a baby bump under my dress."

When she finishes, she looks up at Castle and sees him smiling, she smiles as well, "What?"

"Kate, you just agreed to marry me in the future."

Beckett laughs. Castle then pulls her up out of her chair and they kiss, not even caring about the people watching through the break room windows.

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, that's it. It may be a bit silly, but hey, it's Fan-fiction. This was only meant to be a one-shot. However, I may be a tiny bit flexible, _if_ anyone wants and can convince me well enough, to do an Epilogue. You know, like an 'after the baby's born'**** or 'during the pregnancy' or 'telling Alexis' type of thing. Thanks for reading and don't forget to tell me what you thought of it. ;) **

**-Thanks, Monica**


	2. Epilogue Part 1

Unexpected Surprises

**Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever, own any part of Castle, or it's characters.**

**Authors Note: Okay, so here's the plan, all you lovely folks who are following my story. I have decided to continue this story, considering that many of the people who reviewed requested this, thank you for those reviews by the way. The epilogue will be four parts long. One part for each of the scenarios I suggested could happen in the last chapter and a new scenario suggested by one of the reviewers. (Thanks Christy811 for that!) The parts will all be in sequencing order. 'Telling Alexis' first, 'During The Pregnancy' next, 'After The Birth' third and 'The Wedding Day' last. The Wedding Day, part may include how Castle proposed or how they agreed to marry each other in the chapter as a flash back. Thank you for this. I hope you enjoy it. Also, one last thing before the story, if you feel any of the characters aren't portrayed quite right, or you feel something else isn't right in the story, please tell me so I can change it. All right! On with the story and thank you all again!  
**

* * *

Epilogue Part 1: Telling Alexis

Castle, on the way to his loft with Beckett, thought about what had happened in the past two days. For one, they were caught in the middle of a huge case up at the 12th precinct so he had stayed up there with Beckett until they had solved it today. He didn't have to go home at nights when they were stuck on cases anymore, although Beckett preferred he did; Alexis was off at college and was only home now to do her laundry, which she would be doing tonight. For another thing, he had found out that Kate was pregnant; with his kid. It had shocked everyone at the precinct, because they had no idea about their relationship, it didn't help the matter when he proposed to Kate in front of the whole homicide unit. She had told him no and then pulled him into the break room saying she wanted to wait to get married; she didn't want him proposing just because she was having his child.

Tonight, with Alexis being home, both Kate and he thought it would be a good time to tell her about the unborn baby. Rick was a little worried about what she would think. He tried not to think about that too much and think about other things, but it did not help much considering they were nearly to his loft. Rick was also, if Alexis was okay with everything first of course (he in no way wanted to make her angry at him), was going to ask Kate to move into the loft. If she wouldn't marry him because of the baby, she should at least move in, it seemed the right thing to do; he doesn't want his child to be living in two different places all the time.

Inside the loft, Castle and Beckett could hear the washer and dryer running in the other room and could see Alexis in the kitchen searching through the refrigerator. Once hearing the front door closes Alexis peers around the door of the fridge and smiles at both of them, "Hey, guys. I was thinking about maybe cooking dinner tonight. Is that okay?"

"Oh, no. Alexis. We really should be the one's cooking you dinner. Plus, you don't even technically live here anymore. Of course you're always welcome to stay, pumpkin." Castle responds nervously, thinking of some of the worse possible ways Alexis could react to the news.

Alexis looks over at him as she closes the door to the fridge, "You okay dad? You seem kinda nervous about something. _Did_ something happen?"

"In a way, Alexis, yes, something did happen." Kate tells her before Castle can say anything else.

"Pumpkin, why don't you sit down? We have something to tell you." Castle gestures between Kate and him, then to the couch.

Alexis moves closer to Kate and him, who are standing near the couch, and sits in the arm chair looking at him a bit concerned, Castle starts to sit down as well, pulling Kate with him, thinking this will be better done this way. He isn't at all looking at his daughter.

There is an awkward pause lingering in the air until he hears Alexis ask, "You didn't ask her to marry you did you dad?" Castle glances towards his daughter, shocked,_ Well, that is technically true._ He thinks to himself before hearing Alexis continue, "Oh, dad! You know you could've risked her saying no and running away, right? I mean you guys have only been together for about half a year. I don't think this was a good time to ask for marriage. I mean I'm okay with it, I guess, because she obviously said yes, otherwise she wouldn't be sitting here, right?" she babbles to them.

"Actually she said no, pumpkin." Castle tells her.

Castle sees Beckett look at him with a confused look in her eyes.

"She said no? Then why are you here? I'm not trying to be rude; of course you're always welcome here, but why? Wait. If she said no, then it must be something else. What are you trying to tell me?" Alexis asks.

"Well," Kate begins "Alexis, I said no to your father, because I told him I didn't want him to propose to me just because I was pregnant…." Kate finishes and she suddenly can't look at Alexis or him. Castle looks at Alexis for a moment processing the expression on her face. She looks shocked but also confused as she processes what

"Wait. You're pregnant. And it's my dad's right? Well obviously." Castle hears his daughter say in a matter of fact tone, then sees Kate nod her head at his daughter. Alexis looks at them for a moment, then he sees her get up, start for the stairs, and whisper, "I'm okay." Right before she goes up the stairs and into her old bedroom.

* * *

Alexis wasn't okay. Well, she was with the pregnancy and the thought of having a little half-brother or sister was really appealing to her, when she was little she had wanted a little brother or sister until her mom left, but she always had the best times with her dad, still did sometimes, just not as often. She, however, wasn't okay with some of the thoughts that crossed her mind after they had told her about the pregnancy. As she sat on her old bed, she mulled over some possibilities. What was going to happen after this baby was born? What would happen with this family? It was – is pretty obvious that her dad and Kate love each other and that her dad would do anything to keep Kate happy. But what about her? What would happen to her after this baby was born? She was in college, but that didn't mean anything. It meant absolutely nothing in this situation.

She should probably talk to Kate and her father about this. Separately. Kate first, she needs to tell Kate first. Alexis thought _the sooner, the better. _As she got off of her bed and started for her closed door.

* * *

As Kate sits downstairs, waiting for Alexis to come out of her room, she wonders if the girl is mad; the way she breezed out of here, she was certainly not okay. Castle had also just asked her to move in with him, saying something about not having his child living in two different homes; she agreed as long as Alexis was okay with it. She ponders over everything for another minute before she hears the padding of feet coming down the stairs, she looks up to see the girl in question at the bottom of the stairs, looking at both her and Castle. Mostly her.

The girl walks over to them and says, "I'm not mad, about the pregnancy, at all. I kinda like the thought of having a little half-brother or sister." The girl has a smile on her face at this, "But I do need to talk to you." she tells Kate.

Beckett nods, looks to Castle, who is looking at them befuddled, and follows Alexis into Castle's study. Once inside Alexis closes the door and turns around to look at Kate. Kate sees almost apologetic eyes as she looks at the eighteen-year-old girl. Kate now notices that Alexis has just about the same blue eyes as Castle. Alexis starts to speak, "Kate, that wasn't just for my dad's benefit. It's true. I am happy about the baby, and to be honest, if my dad _were_ to have more children, which now he is, I think I would like it better if it was you. I mean, you do know he would do anything to make you happy right?" she pauses for a few moments then starts again slowly, "_That_ is why I'm concerned…."

Kate stares at the girl shocked, "Alexis, what – what do you think I'm going to do? Become the evil step-mother after the baby is born? Sweetie, I love your father very much, and he loves you very much, _I _even love _you_. You do not need to worry about this. This will always be your home." She gestures around the study, "I am never ever going to take that away from you, or ask your dad to stop loving you any less than he does, and he loves you a lot. I also promise, and I will keep this promise, that this baby-" Kate rubs her hand over her stomach, and realizes how right it feels, even if there is no bump yet, "- will never replace you. Even if you are going to be about nineteen years older than him or her."

Alexis looks at her and Kate can see a big smile start to grow on her face. A smile starts to grow on her face as well when the girl comes closer and hugs her. Kate wraps her arms around the girl's shoulders as well and hears her whisper, "Thank you, Kate. I love you too." The girl pulls back for a moment, "I also think you should move in. It wouldn't be right if you didn't."

Kate laughs, "Well your dad just asked me about ten minutes ago. I told him as long as you were okay with it." Alexis smiles at the comment and hugs her for a second time.

"Thank you again, Kate."

* * *

Outside of his office Castle paces back and forth wondering what his daughter is saying to Kate. He is just about to walk up to the door and open it, he doesn't care that it's only been a couple of minutes, when he sees it open first and the two women coming out of the room smiling. _Okay, what happened in there? _He thinks. They walk towards him, Kate first and when she gets to him she places her palm on one of his cheeks, leans up and kisses the other, briefly. He turns around and stares at her for a moment as she walks into the kitchen and opens the refrigerator and pulls a few things out. When he turns again, Alexis is there looking at him.

"Dad, can I talk to you?" he hears her ask quietly.

Rick nods and follows his daughter into his study. Once inside she closes the door and turns to look at him, much in a way he thinks she looked at Kate when she was talking to her.

She then begins to speak, "Now, you've seen that I have already talked to Kate. When I told her my concerns, dad, she reassured me and made a promise to me that she said she would keep. I liked that. But you know what she told me that I really liked?"

Rick shakes his head at her, not even knowing what the could have been talking about when they were in here.

"She told me she loves me." The girl looks at him, "And I love her too!" she swiftly adds, "Can I ask you to promise me a couple things too, dad?"

He nods.

"Okay, promise me when this baby comes, you won't suddenly start ignoring me, and promise me you will always let me babysit?" she smiles slightly.

Castle laughs at her last comment, pulls his daughter into a side hug, kisses the top of her head and tells her, "I promise, Alexis. I promise." He lets her go and starts for the door, "Now, come on. I think Kate is planning to cook us something."

* * *

**Author's Note 2: Thank you for reading. I really hope this was good for you. I have a hard time sometimes with Alexis and how Kate and Alexis act around each other. Tell me what you think and I will get the next part to the Epilogue written and up as soon as I possibly can. I also apologize for the long Authors Note at the beginning, but I felt you should be informed on what I was planning to have happen.**

**-Thanks, Monica**


	3. Epilogue Part 2

Unexpected Surprises

**Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever, own any part of Castle, or it's characters.**

* * *

Epilogue Part 2: During the Pregnancy

Kate Beckett was not happy. She was having one of those days of pregnancy that she dreaded. It was crazy! She did, however, have a reason to be happy; today she was going in to her OB/GYN for her first sonogram. Castle couldn't go with her though. Something about a publishing meeting. They had talked about this and decided that they did want to know the sex of the baby. Castle really didn't want to be surprised. He said he/she would be easier to name that way.

Right now she was sitting at her desk working on some of the longest sets of paperwork she had ever had to do. She couldn't wait until it was time to leave for the appointment. Although, she knew that when she got up there she would be doing a lot of waiting. First in the waiting room, then in the actual room where they did the sonogram.

Kate was seriously excited; she wanted to know what she was having. She may not have been acting herself lately because of this pregnancy, maybe getting mad at Castle for stupid things, but she knew that once this was over things would change anyway. In fact things have already changed; no matter how long her and Castle have been together the Ryan and Esposito still tease her for it. Just last week, they had finished unpacking all of her boxes over at Castle's loft. She is now officially living there after four months of stalling and deciding what and what not to bring along

* * *

Kate now sat in the waiting room at the hospital rubbing her hand over her protruding stomach. She was only 20 weeks along and about half way through the whole pregnancy. She had already set up her own timeline and really didn't need the doctors to tell her when her due date should be around. She had figured it up to be around the end of August or beginning of September; she was having a summer baby. Kate smiled at the thought.

Castle had loved the idea of having the baby in the summer, she didn't know why but he did. Kate was about to think about some of the other things Castle had done since he had figured out she was pregnant, when her thoughts were interrupted by the nurse calling her back.

* * *

Kate Beckett was no longer trying to be patient as she waited for her OB/GYN. It had been over thirty minutes since she had been called back her, asked to put on a gown and wait for the doctor. She could not sit still either. She has never been this antsy before. Maybe it was the pregnancy. Maybe it was the fact that Castle was not here with her. She had known he wanted to come and she wanted him to come as well.

About ten minutes later, the doctor had finally entered the room, starting to speak to her, "Hello, Kate. I apologize for the wait. I had another patient who was quite distraught at some news they had received."

"Oh, no. It's okay, I was fine." Kate partially lied. It was okay, she was with another patient, but Kate wasn't fine the whole time.

Right before she had come in Kate had almost resorted to playing with the tools that were sitting on the tray next to her, only because she had started thinking about that old TV show, 'Friends', that still came on sometimes. She had recently watched the episode where Ross' ex-wife Carroll was discovered to be pregnant. At the sonogram Ross had started playing with one of the tools, feeling the awkwardness between himself, Carroll, and her partner, Susan, until Carroll told him what the tool was actually for.

Kate watched as the doctor prepared everything and hears her say, "Okay, I'm going to need you to lie back."

She did as instructed and waited for the doctor to begin.

* * *

Castle was not a happy man. As he sat in the New York City traffic, at six in the evening, growing more impatient, he thought about how he could have, should have, taken the subway, or even walked back home. He was already angry enough about not getting to go to Beckett's sonogram with her. Castle thought it was kind of funny how he still called her that sometimes even though they were dating, having a baby, and living together now.

Castle had enough of waiting and the being patient crap; he unbuckled his seatbelt, dug his wallet out of his pants pocket, grabbed a twenty out, gave it to the driver and telling him to keep the change. He got out of the car and started towards the sidewalk, as he put his wallet back in his pocket, to walk back to the loft. Or at least towards a subway entrance. He was a bit far from the loft to walk the whole way there.

* * *

While Castle was sitting down on the bench, in the relatively clean subway car, he watched out the windows every time the tram slowed, to know when he would be getting off. Still three stops to go. He sat there quietly, not generally people watching like he would usually do, thinking about the baby Kate and him were going to have. He didn't care weather is was a boy or a girl. He had names for both. Castle felt the subway train slow again, he looks up, it's time for him to get off.

On the underground concourse, Castle weaves through the rush hour crowds as he tried to find the stairs that lead up the street. He had always thought it was funny how it was called rush _hour_ because it always took more than an hour to end, especially in New York City. The city never sleeps, either. There is some times, he had noticed, when there was also a lot of traffic at night. Another thing he thought was strange.

Now, as Castle walked down his street towards his loft, he did people watch. Most people, however were wearing work attire and looked to be heading home, towards the subways, or to a taxi. He snorted, _Good luck getting anywhere in that cab._ He thought as he watched several people getting into them. New York was full of taxis. Every other car you saw was usually a taxi.

Finally he had made it to his building, standing outside for a moment he looked up at it. From in front of the building he could see the windows to the first floor of his loft. Castle then entered the building, nodding at the door man as he past, going towards the elevators.

No one else was in the elevator, so he stood there patiently, staring at the door until he hears the familiar ding of the car arriving on his floor. He steps out of the elevator and reaches into his pocket to grab his keys. He then puts the correct key into the door when he reaches it and unlocks the door and enters his home.

Inside, the room is quiet; the whole loft is quiet. Alexis wasn't home today doing laundry but usually on those days he would at least hear something. Kate usually listened to the stereo while she was home, she had been coming home earlier latley due to a lack of a case. She always texted him when he wasn't around and there was a case, even if he was busy. He hadn't received any today, so he only assumed she would be home when he go home. _Is she home?_ He thought to himself.

His concerns were no longer being questioned when he saw Kate lying on the couch with her phone lying next to her on the floor, after he had turned around. Her eyes were closed, but he could tell she wasn't asleep; she didn't look relaxed enough. When she slept, whether she had a good or bad day, she always looked so relaxed and at peace.

Castle closed the door and as soon as he heard the door click shut Kate's eyes popped open and she smiled at him.

"Hey, Castle." She said to him quietly, but loud enough he could still hear.

"Hey, why aren't you listening to music?" he asked confusion rising up in his tone.

"I wanted quite. I've got some big news. I think you might love it. I know I do."

"Oh? Is it about the baby?"

Kate chuckles at him for a moment before responding, "Well, you aren't entirely correct when you ask about _the_ baby."

"Huh?" he asks, now definitely confused.

"Castle… Rick-" she pauses for a moment, before continuing more slowly, "-we – we are having...twins…. A boy and a girl" Kate smiles at him

She was right. She was right! Castles eyes grow wide and his jaw practically falls to the floor. He loves this. Oh, he absolutely loves this. He might even love this more than she does. Oh, my God. This can't be real! So, just to be sure, he asks her, "Twins?"

She only nods.

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, I know it's shorter than the other chapters, but I was having a little trouble with it. I hope this was good for you, tell me what you thought, thank you for reading, and I will try to update as soon as possible. Special thanks to my reviewers, followers, and favoriters of this story. **

**-Thanks, Monica**


	4. Epilogue Part 3

Unexpected Surprises

**Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever, own any part of Castle, or it's characters.**

* * *

Epilogue Part 3: Shortly After the Birth

Kate now lay exhausted in her hospital bed, after giving birth to a set of boy and girl twins. She really couldn't remember much except the painful contractions, the babies being inside her, then them being out, and the doctors doing their first check-up on them. She was now holding her baby boy, while Castle sat next to her holding their baby girl. They still hadn't named them yet; they made an agreement the previous month, when she was tired of the babies being late, that they would name them when they came. The kids were about a month late than the thought due date. Born on September 24, 2013 at 6:08 and 6:15 pm. The girl had come first.

Kate looks over at Castle to see him holding their baby girl out in front of him, murmuring words Kate couldn't hear to her. Wondering what he is talking to her about, Kate asks him, "Castle? What are you saying to her?"

"Telling her about her family and her kick-ass mother." He responds before looking up at her and smiling.

She smiles in return then tells him, "You know when they get older were going to have to stop using words like that."

"Nah, really?" he responds sarcastically.

"Jeez, Castle. I thought I would be the one who is supposed to be like that. I _am_ the one who just gave birth to two children."

Castle looks at her for a moment before he starts to stand, jostling the girl in his arms carefully and skillfully before he walks closer to her bed-side and kisses her on her forehead before saying, "You're a good mom already." He chuckles a bit before trying to hand the girl in his arms to her saying, "Here, let me hold my son."

"Ooh, mister bossy. Don't want to hold your gorgeous daughter anymore? I understand, she isn't your first Castle, but you don't have to put it out there like that." She tells him teasingly, not meeting his eyes.

Castle stares at her in shock obviously taking what she said seriously, "Katherine Beckett. I love this gorgeous little girl, very much. Since I first learned we were having her. Gosh! I don't think you understand. I just want to hold my son. Is that a problem for you?"

Kate smiles at him, he realizes that she was teasing him and smiles back, "Yeah, let's trade. I want to hold _my_ _daughter_."

After skillfully trading off, Castle starts to speak, "Wow, twins. I think it's just now starting to sink in. It's a goof thing it's a boy and a girl. We'll easily be able to tell them apart. I don't know what I would have done if they had been the same gender..." He looks at his son for a few moments before the nurse comes in, interrupting his musings.

"Do we have names for our new set of twins, yet?" she asks politely, while glancing back and forth between them.

Kate looks at Castle for a moment , they honestly hadn't even talked about names yet…. She looks back to the nurse, shakes her head and tells her, "We were just about to talk about that."

The nurse nods and starts to back out of the room, "Alright. I'll give you two a moment. Call me back when you have their names." The nurse, _Lucinda_, Kate reads on her name tag, smiles at them and leaves the room.

"So, what are we going to name them?" Kate hears Castle ask her.

She looks down at the small girl in her arms, shrugs a bit and tells him, "I don't know."

"Well, I have an idea." She looks up to Castle before he continues, "How 'bout you name the girl and I'll name the boy, _but_ we still are able to veto the other's name option."

Kate smiles at him, "Yeah, that sound like a good idea." She says as she nods at him, "Why don't you go first." She gestures to the boy in his arms.

He looks at her for a moment before saying, "What about…Ezra?"

Kate looks at him with amused confusion on her face, "Rick…. Have you been reading Alexis' novels again?"

"Not my fault she left them there." He mutters almost incoherently. "So, veto?"

"Yeah, veto. My turn, then you can pick something else that isn't so drama and Pretty Little Liars…." Kate looks back to the girl snoozing in her arms, "Annabelle." She says smiling, "Annabelle Lee." She looks up to Castle who is smiling at her.

"That's supposed to be a Edgar Allan Poe reference, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but Annabelle is spelled differently. Two l's instead of one and an e at the end."

"You know I love you, right."

Kate's smile grows wider, "Yeah, I love you too." She pauses for a moment before she asks, "Okay, you ready for your turn?"

He nods at her before saying, "Yeah, I think I got it now." He pauses as well, "Oliver. Oliver Alexander?" he looks to her expectantly.

She nods at him, "Yeah. Yeah, I like that. He has your old middle name too. So…Annabelle Lee Castle and Oliver Alexander Castle." She smiles.

Man, what is with her. She is all smiles today. Must be the two beautiful children she just had. When she looks up, she sees Castle has already called back in the nurse who left a couple of minutes ago.

"So, have we given them names yet?" She asks them, once again with politeness in her voice.

Castle and Kate nod together in synchronization.

"Annabelle Lee for the girl," Kate starts to explain, "Annabelle has two l's and an e at the end and Lee is spelled with two e's"

The nurse nods as she writes in the information then looks back at them, waiting for the boy's name.

"Oliver Alexander for the boy and their last names are both Castle." Rick tells her.

She nods again, writing in the information, she looks at them as if she is about to say something else when Kate hears a commotion in the hall, "What room was it again?" she hears a familiar voice say a bit too loudly. Moments later Lanie, Esposito, Ryan, and Jenny come into the room.

Lanie practically barges through the door wanting to see them, "Let me see them!" she squeals

"Gosh, okay, Lanie. Calm down. Who would you like to see first?" Kate asks her.

Lanie looks from Castle to Beckett for a micro-moment then says excitedly, "Let me see the girl." Lanie walks over to Beckett's bed excitedly.

"Okay, seriously. You gotta calm down before I let you hold my child." Kate teases her.

"Our child." Castle corrects, smiling at her teasingly.

"Oh, you two are so cute." Lanie says while looking at Castle, who has the boys and Jenny looking at Oliver in his arms.

"Yeah, you two make some cute kids, Beckett."

Kate looks over at Esposito, "Thanks, Javi." She says almost sarcastically.

Kate looks back to Lanie and the woman looks at her as she tries to regain her control. Then Kate hears her say, "Okay, I'm calm."

Kate hands Annabelle to her just as Martha and Alexis enter the room, both excited. Alexis and he grandmother walk over the side of Kate's bed and both hug her, "You doing okay?" Alexis asks.

Kate nods; "Yeah, I'm great?" she smiles at the girl.

"Well, they're both adorable, Kate. I'm glad it was you and not someone else that this happened with." Martha tells her. Alexis nods at her as well.

Kate smiles genuinely at both women.

"So, what'd you name them?" Alexis asks enthusiastically, as Martha sits down in the chair next to Kate's bed.

Kate points toward Laine, "That's little Annabelle." She then gestures to Ryan, who is now holding Oliver with Rick and Jenny standing next to him, "That's little Oliver."

Alexis smiles at her, "Aw, that's cute; easy for me to nickname them too."

Kate chuckles at the girl, "Oh, really? So what are you going to be calling them?"

"Ollie and Annie." The girl grins at her again.

Kate laughs again and smiles at the girl. She then looks over to Castle, who is looking over at them smiling. Lanie then walks back over to her, ginning back. Alexis looks at Lanie and asks, "Hey, can I hold her?"

Lanie looks at Kate, who nods at her. Lanie then hands Annabelle to Alexis cautiously, aware of how tiny Annabelle is.

* * *

"So, I'm the godfather, right?" Castle hears Ryan ask as he hands Oliver to Esposito.

Esposito just stares at him, still fully aware of the fact that there is a small child in his arm, but still says, "Bro, really? You knew I was going to ask!"

"Yeah, but the key is being the one to ask first." Ryan smiles at him, and Jenny chuckles from beside Ryan. They both look at Castle expectant on who he will choose.

"Actually," Castle pauses to look at the two men, "I was thinking about both of you being a godfather."

Ryan and Esposito both smile at him, "Yeah."

"What about me, Castle?" he hear Lanie say as she walks toward them.

"Well, obviously you're the godmother." He says a little fearful.

"Yeah, I better be." She responds.

* * *

The next two hours went along with exchanges between friends, and everyone getting to hold each baby. At about half past eight that evening the nurse comes into the room saying, "Okay, everybody. Visiting hours are almost over, and mom here needs to get some sleep." And with that, she exits.

Jenny, who was the one who was holding Annabelle, hands her back to Rick and Lanie, who was the one who was holding Oliver, hands him over to Kate. Everyone exchanges hugs and goodbyes before they all leave.

As soon as they're gone, the hospital phone beside Kate's bed rings. Kate picks it up, "Hello?" she answers, not expecting to get a call from the hospital phone.

_"Becks!" _it's Madison.

"Oh, hey Maddie! How are you?" Kate looks up to Castle, who is looking back at her with his eyebrows raised. After Kate found out she was pregnant she had reconnected some what with Madison. Once Madison found out she was pregnant with Castle's children, or child she had first thought until she got the sonogram, she had hugged her, given her congratulations, then mumbled something about how she knew Kate wanted to have little Castle babies. It had made Kate laugh at the time.

_"How am_ I_ doing? I should be asking you that! You _are_ the one who just gave birth to _two_ babies!"_ Kate chortles at her response.

The two talked for about thirty minutes before Kate hangs up the phone and sees Castle out of his chair and walking over to her. The nurse had come into the room and taken the babies to the nursery about 15 minutes earlier. Castle sits on her beside, hugs her and kisses her temple and then on the lips for a fierce moment.

"This is going to be great." He tells her with a smile, after he pulls away.

Kate gazes at him lovingly, she smiles as well before she says, "Yes, I think it will be.

* * *

**Author Note: Well, that concludes this chapter. I apologize for taking so long to update. Ooh, did you get my little reference to season five. The babies were born exactly a year after the season five premier date. Haha! :) I hope enjoyed the chapter. Thank you for reading. I really enjoy doing this, and getting your feedback, tell me about any mistakes I may have missed when editing and I will fix them.**

**-Thanks, Monica**


	5. Epilogue Part 4

Unexpected Surprises

**This chapter is for anyone who has reviewed, followed, or put this story in their favorites. I greatly appreciate all of you.**

**Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever, own any part of Castle, or it's characters.**

* * *

Epilogue Part 4: The Wedding

This was it. Today was the day. Actually, it was more like she had about thirty minutes left until she would be walking down that aisle. In a white wedding gown. With Castle…Rick standing at the end; waiting for her. She was in the Hamptons about to get married to Richard Castle. He had gone all out, even if it wasn't a huge wedding; the actual ceremony was going to be on the beach at sunset, they had set up a platform so the sand wasn't getting in everyone's shoes, and the reception was going to be up in the yard. She wasn't nervous! No, she wasn't…. Okay, so maybe she was…. Of course she would be; this is her "one and done" she is talking about. He is her "one and done". She, in return, is his "third's time the charm". Yeah, this is going to be great. Kate tried to smile to herself.

Okay, maybe she _was_ nervous. But she shouldn't think about that right now. She should be thinking about other things. Relive some happy memories before the wedding. Remember the night she was proposed to. Yeah! That's what she'll do. She'll think about that. _Okay, Kate, don't think about how nervous you are. Don't think about all the people out there. Okay, so there are only like twenty, but whatever, just think about something else._

So, for the last of her time alone, before she would walk down that aisle and become Mrs. Richard Castle, Kate started to ponder about the night Rick proposed to her. There was actually a kind of funny experience that they shared right before he got down on one knee.

* * *

Okay, hopefully today was it. He will propose today. I already know about the ring. He really shouldn't have left it in his t-shirt drawer. He knows I wear those_. Kate thought to herself while she was at the precinct that morning, she had just gotten a text from Castle telling her that Alexis would be home tonight babysitting the twins, so he was going to take her out for a night on the town._

Yeah, he is totally proposing tonight; if he doesn't I'm doing it myself_. She thought._

_Work had gone by in a blur. And when she got home and had snuck up behind Rick when he was writing on his laptop only to see he already knew she was there and was sending her away to go get dressed, he wanted her to 'look nice for him'. She thought it was kinda cute but almost smacked him over the head for the way he had told her to do so._

_When they were out the door, it turned out Rick was going to drag her all over Manhattan and other various parts of New York City. They had first gone to Adour Restaurant; apparently it had four-stars and was one of the more top ranked restaurants in New York City. But like any restaurant that extravagant, it had tiny portions. Kate thought it was good because she wasn't really hungry anyway; for once she actually had a big lunch._

_After that, Rick towed her to the Old Haunt in his town car. They weren't there very long, but he thought it would be nice to go, considering they hadn't been in about a year, give or take a few months. _

_They had been practically every charming, romantic, or extravagant place in the city when they had decided to start walking back towards the loft. They were on the sidewalk outside of Central Park, it was around 11 and nobody else was on the street. It was about three minutes into the walk around Central Park when, the two holding hands both abruptly stopped, turned to each other, and in unison asked each other the same question, "Will you marry me?"_

_At first the two looked at each other in shock, in what seemed to be a bombshell, before they both started to laugh, almost hysterically. __After a few moments of silence and them just looking at each other admiringly, Castle started to speak, "Well, in the danger of you stealing my thunder," he teased her with a wink, "I think I am going to continue with _my_ proposal. Unless you have a better one, that is?" He gestured towards her, still teasingly._

_Kate only shook her head, "No," she spoke softly, "you go ahead." She smiles at him._

_Rick returns the smile and starts to kneel. On one knee he searches his pocket for the ring, as he is searching his pocket, Kate tells him, "You know, your t-shirt drawer isn't the best place to hide an engagement ring."_

_In the midst of pulling the ring out he stops and gawks at her, "You knew?"_

_"Come on, Castle. You know I wear your shirts." She sends him a tantalizing smile._

_He narrows his eyes at her before continuing, "So, do you just want to take the ring or do you want me to actually propose?"_

_Kate glowers at him before she says, "Come on, Castle, I know you wouldn't want me to just take the ring."_

_"Fine," Rick clears his throat dramatically, earning him a small eye-roll from Kate, before he continues, "Kate Beckett, I know I have made mistakes, big mistakes, since I met you, but I _know_ this isn't one of them. Meeting you wasn't one of them, and neither was having two very darling children with you. I love them very much. I love _you_ so much. And I'm just lucky that you love me back. You are literally an astonishing – amazing – woman; you love my daughter as if she was your own and I didn't even have to ask you to. I love how much – how far we've come since we first met. You know, I knew we would end up together." He smiles at that, "So, Katherine Beckett, I ask you: will you marry me? Since, you know, you said 'no' the first time…."_

_Kate laughs at the last comment. God she loves this man. In response to what he is asking her, the only thing she is able to do is smile widely and whisper to him, "Yes."_

_Rick, who is already looking at her, smiles back at her just as wide and maybe even wider if possible, before he takes the ring out of the box in his hand and slips it on to her finger. It fit perfectly. The ring was simple, but gorgeous none the less. Something she might have picked out for herself._

_After placing the ring on her finger, he jumps up yelling, "Yeah!" before grabbing her and giving her one of their more sweet and loving, yet fierce and powerful kisses. When they pull apart, unwillingly, Kate places her forehead against his, and whispers, "Let's go home, Rick."_

* * *

Smiling at the memory, Kate also remembers how happy everyone was when they told them. Lanie was so happy she had squealed and said something about how she should have married him when he asked the first time, but Kate could tell she had a taunting tone to her voice.

She also remembers the first time Gates found out about their relationship, she had looked so angry, but she surprised both her and Castle, and well, actually everyone by saying, "Just keep it out of the office." nonchalantly before exiting.

When Gates found out they were getting married she didn't say much then either, just something about talking to her about time off for her honeymoon as she walked back into her office.

Kate's contemplation was then interrupted by a knock at the door. Before calling to the person outside of the door, she looks up to the clock; about ten minutes left. Her dad then enters the room, closing the door behind him. Jim gets one look at her and smiles, "You look gorgeous, Katie."

Kate returns the smile and says, "Thanks, Dad."

Kate stands up as her father walks over to her and they grab each other in an affectionate hug. Kate, suddenly consciously aware of the chain around her neck and the ring on the chain, even though she always knows it's there, but has become a more unconscious thing, has tears starting to well up in the corners of her eyes. God, she misses her mom.

When Jim pulls away from her, he sees the tears and asks, "Oh, Katie, what's wrong?"

"I miss mom. Dad, I miss her so much. I really wish she could've been here." Her voice breaks on the last few words of her sentence.

Jim, nods understandingly, and pulls her into another hug, "I know, Katie. I wish she was here too. I miss her too. I would've loved to have her here to see you get married."

Kate nods as well. She is marrying a great man. The great man she wishes could've met her mother as well. Well, now she has a new family. No, not new, just extended. She has Lanie, Ryan and Esposito also. She'll get through this. It is not okay that her mom was murdered in an alley way, but it _is_ okay that Kate can cope with it now. She needs to get these tears out of her so she isn't having a breakdown in the middle of walking down the aisle, or worse, in the middle of the preacher speaking to her. She can do this.

* * *

There is less than three minutes until the ceremony is to start when Kate's two bridesmaids come rushing in; they were supposed to be ready about 10 minutes after she was but they had both gotten here late. Lanie and Alexis, when they see her after coming in, both smile.

"You look gorgeous." They say in unison.

Kate smiles back at them, "Thank you."

Both Lanie and Alexis take that as their queue and rush over to her and both hug her, being careful of her hair, make-up and dress. Kate had wanted Madison to be a bridesmaid as well, but she somehow couldn't find the time to be able to, so they got her restaurant to cater the wedding instead.

* * *

As Kate grabbed on to her father's arm while Lanie and Alexis prepared to go out before her, he asks, "You ready?"

Kate looks at him and grins, "Yeah. I'm ready."

Before he can respond the Wedding March began on the piano and Lanie and Alexis are walking down the aisle.

Jim leans over and whispers in her ear, "Good," before they start down the aisle after the bridesmaids.

Everyone in their seats stands and they are all looking at her, but that doesn't matter to her. The only person she is looking at is Rick, and he is looking back at her with the most adorable and loving expression on his face. So Kate gives him a smile back, trying to say the same things he is saying in his expressions in her smile. On the way up to the altar Kate briefly looks away from Rick to look over at their children who are with Martha on the front row. They're a little over a year old and mostly easy to handle kids. Kate looks back to Rick as she approaches him.

When they reach the altar, Kate tears her eyes away from Rick's for a brief moment while she and her father kiss each other on the cheek, him giving her away, before Jim walks to his seat. Kate then looks back to Rick who was watching the exchange with her father. Rick holds out his hand and she accepts it as she steps closer to him.

As the ceremony continues and the preacher speaks, Kate is incapable of focusing on it until it's her turn to speak the lines, she was a bit more focused on the body next to her, and she is pretty sure he was too.

Kate repeats the correct lines and places the ring on Castle's finger when the time comes and when the preacher asks, "Do you, Katherine, take Richard Castle to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

She looks into Castle's eyes and says "I do."

The preacher then says, "By the power vested in me and the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He then looks to Rick and says, "You may now kiss the bride."

Castle pulls her into a brief and searing kiss, not wanting to get called out by Esposito or Ryan at their own wedding. Everyone then stands and claps when they pull apart and start walking back down the aisle.

Kate smiles; she was now officially married to _Richard Castle_. This should be fun.

The End

* * *

**Author's Note: Did you like it? I hope you did. If you want a better image of Castle's face when Beckett was walking down the aisle, just think of 'The Limey' when Kate walked into the bullpen in the black dress, that expression, but more love, adorableness, and happiness. This chapter seemed like it took forever to write. How long did I make you guys wait? I apologize for the wait. If you have any story ideas you would like me to write pm me or send me a prompt on Tumblr. Thank you all for reading, please tell me what you thought. I really hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. :)**

**-Thanks, Monica**


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